Judge finds couple guilty of locking up, starving boy as punishment

Wednesday's decision came after Stephen Bauer and Megan Finlan plead "no contest" to reduced charges.

OMAHA, Neb. —

Douglas County District Judge Marlon Polk has found two parents guilty of child neglect Wednesday, minutes after the couple entered "no contest" pleas to five counts of negligent child abuse resulting in bodily injury.

Stephen Bauer and Megan Finlan of Omaha were initially charged with intentional child abuse resulting in serious injury.

Prosecutors said the Omaha Police Special Victims Unit initiated the case in 2015, when teachers at Florence Elementary School found a 7-year-old boy covered in scratches and bruises.

The child reported his adoptive parents withheld food from him and locked him up regularly.

"Officers learned that the school also reported that the child had been taking food from other people at school, took food from the trash cans and licked other children's plates clean because he was hungry," said Molly Keane, deputy Douglas County attorney.

Prosecutors said the boy was severely underweight, nearly half the weight of an average child his age, and suffered from a number of medical issues.

"There are words I have that I probably couldn't say here as far as somebody who treats a child like that," said Don Kleine, Douglas County attorney.

At the time, Bauer admitted to investigators that they used withholding food as a punishment, but denied starving the child for days.

Finlan allegedly told authorities she did not recall keeping food from the boy more than three days at a time.

Prosecutors and Camron's new adoptive mother, Shannon Foster, said they're glad the judge found Bauer and Finlan guilty, helping the case come to a closure.

"We had a trial looming over our heads for a while," said Foster. "We were told he'd have to testify in open court with them, and so I'm relieved he won't have to ever see them."
 

Foster said she still can't help but worry about Bauer and Finlan's five biological children.

"I honestly care more about the other kids and that they won't be able to do this to another child ever again."

Despite the conviction, Finlan and Buer were able to walk out free since they had posted their original bond after the arrest in 2015.
 

The couple will be back in court Sept. 15 to be sentenced and could get anything from probation to a $10,000 fine, to up to 25 years in prison.

Next, authorities will consider terminating the parental rights of Bauer and Finlan.

The Omaha couple is at risk of losing five biological children, including a baby they had since their arrest.